Procrastination: How to Turn Your Biggest Obstacle into a Powerful Learning Strategy
Dear listeners, welcome to another episode of "111 Tips for Learning a Language." I’m delighted to have you join me for Episode 42, where we’re going to tackle a topic that’s both universal and often misunderstood: procrastination. You will learn how to drill into Procrastination by figuring out why you procrastinate and then explore how you can transform procrastination from a frustrating obstacle into a strategic tool that enhances your language learning journey.


111 Tips for Learning a Language 

Tip 42  Drill into procrastination by figuring out why you procrastinate 

Firstly We Have To Dive Into Why People Study When They Do Not Have Any Real Purpose Or Need. 

Many people continue studying a language without a pressing need. Often, it’s because they recognize it’s good for personal development or career prospects, or sometimes they simply have extra time on their hands. In other words, they have nothing better to do. It is alright not to have a clear goal on learning a language. It is a known fact some people go about their lives questioning the very meaning of life itself too. The focus of this episode is to add enjoyment to your language learning because when one does not have a real purpose, staying motivated enough to keep on track then becomes a big challenge. When people pursue activities "because it’s good for them," they may struggle with engagement.  (Deci & Ryan, 2000). 


Tip 51 – How To Study A Language Without A Goal Or A Real Purpose

😴 Struggling to Stay Awake While Studying? We’ve Got You Covered! 😴

In Episode 50 of "111 Tips for Learning a Language," I'm sharing practical and quirky tips to keep you alert and focused—even when you’re this close to nodding off! From simple physical moves to stealthy tricks you can use in public, I'm here to help you keep your study sessions effective and energized. 🧘‍♂️

Don’t let drowsiness derail your learning! Tune in to find out how to stay awake, stay productive, and make every moment count. 
Listen now and take your study stamina to the next level!

Tip 50 - How not to fall asleep at the work or study table

Practical Steps for Language Learning Through Social Media
Here are a few ways to make your scrolling habit more productive:
•	Notice Trends: Pay attention to popular phrases, abbreviations, and hashtags. Jot down new words and look them up if you’re unsure.
•	Evaluate Tone: Is the language used playful, serious, persuasive, or informative? Recognizing tone helps you decide when to use similar language styles.
•	Contextual Learning: When you come across unfamiliar slang or buzzwords, try using them in a sentence yourself or research examples. Understanding how a word fits into context is essential for true fluency.
•	Assess the Quality of Writing: Is the post well-thought-out or thrown together? The choice of words can reveal the writer’s intent and mindset, helping you decide what language to adopt or avoid.


Tip 49 - Using Social Media to Pick Up Buzzwords and Real-World Language

Instead of skipping your study session, try to do something manageable, even if it’s just for 5 or 10 minutes. This small effort prevents the disruption of your learning habit and keeps you from falling into the “rest zone” for too long. Remember, a little bit of progress each day compounds over time, and that’s how big results are achieved.

Once you take a break from studying for too long, it becomes increasingly tempting to stay in that “rest mode.” We’ve all experienced this—one day off turns into two, and suddenly a week has gone by. The longer you rest, the harder it becomes to start again. This is not just a language learning issue; it’s a cognitive phenomenon called the inertia effect, where the longer we avoid an activity, the more mental resistance we build up toward starting it again.


Tip 48 – Just do what you can when nothing feels right and that is already enough.

Once you can positively identify what your ultimate goal is, I want you to divide these goals into smaller goals or you can say this is the part where you lower your goals a little, and this is ok. It doesn’t make you a lesser human being. How many goals have been unfulfilled because the initial expectation was too high? Too many learners just give up completely. Lower your goal until you reach a base point which you can reach within 7 days. Once you have achieved this base point, work your way up to the next 7 days and then the 7 days further and so forth. You can have many of these lower goals or outpost goals, as I like to call them. These outposts will give an indication of your learning journey and whether it is feasible to continue on the same path. If something doesn’t work, modify it to suit the problems you face in your learning. Make sure you also modify your outpost based on how much time you are prepared to spend on your learning. Be realistic about it. If you are tired at the end of the day, do not schedule learning time at this time or at least try to cut down on learning at this hour. At the end of the day, you know your mental state better than anyone else. 

